Hydrogen Combustion Engine GR Yaris Amazes Fans At Rally Belgium

On the 20th August 2022 Toyota President Akio Toyoda drove the GR Yaris H2, a special hydrogen combustion engine version of the Toyota GR Yaris, on the ninth round of the World Rally Championship. This was the first time this special development model had been seen outside of Japan.

Finnish rallying legend Juha Kankkunen, who won his fourth WRC title with Toyota in 1993, joined Toyota's President for the run, acting as co-driver.

The GR Yaris H2 drove on special stage 11, running ahead of the safety car along nine miles of narrow roads. 

The benefits of using a combustion engine to ignite hydrogen is that there is no difference in performance from a regular petrol combustion engine, yet no CO2 is emitted. In addition zero tailpipe emissions can be achieved without electrification which means that the elements of a car that petrol heads love, the noise and speed, is not sacrificed. 

Toyota plans to continue developing the technology. To stay up to date with the latest Toyota models, click to head over to the upcoming models page. 

Toyota have been developing hydrogen technology for decades, with their first production car launched in 2014, the Toyota Mirai. The Mirai is now in its second generation, combines eye-catching yet elegant design with innovative hydrogen technology. The Mirai is powered by electricity but unlike an electric car in which you have to recharge frequently, the Mirai is powered by electricity made in its fuel cell stack that fuses oxygen and hydrogen together. The only waste product produced from the generation of electricity by the Mirai is water. 

The difference between the Mirai and the prototype hydrogen Yaris is that the Mirai is technically an EV whilst the Yaris uses a combustion engine to ignite hydrogen to produce power. 

The Mirai needs refueling with hydrogen which is stored in an on board tank and can be complete in just minutes, which makes the Mirai a convenient option for zero emission driving. 

Discover the Mirai in more detail with Inchcape. 

Toyota has been a class leader in hybrid technology for years and manufactures a range of electric, self-charging and plug-in hybrid vehicles which can help you reduce your carbon footprint whilst also reducing running costs.

Toyota has revolutionised and innovated the market for over 23 years and in that time have saved more than 120 million tonnes of CO2 worldwide. With high performance and dynamic innovation in our DNA, their range of stylish hybrids are enjoyed by over 15 million drivers globally.

Choose from small hatchbacks such as the Yaris hybrid up to large SUVs such as the RAV4 hybrid and PHEV.

Discover the entire range of Toyota electric and hybrid vehicles and learn which is right for you with Inchcape.